Comparison of a dietary attitude index based on questionnaire data and a 7-day diet recall interview: A study among pregnant women

It is expensive to obtain detailed information on the dietary habits of a large number of persons. If a short set of questions could give a fairly accurate description of the quality of food intake based on accepted norms, these questions could serve as a source of important proxy information of eating habits in a number of studies. In a random sample of women late in their pregnancy, information from a 7-day diet recall interview and questionnaire data on dietary attitude were compared. The sample consisted of 175 women, and 167 of these 175 women participated in the study. On the basis of the questionnaire data, an index were computed according to the Rasch model. No association was found between this index and the quality of food intake according to recommended daily dietary allowances for pregnant women. The questionnaire index was no useful substitute for the dietary recall interview.